Do think that whenever we had James in the game PSU knew it was a run? They seemed to just figure us out.
James 10 rushes for 7 yards. Do you think they knew we'd rush him?
- Thread starter DHajekRC84
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dude we rushed mostly on 1st and 2nd down and most of it was power rushing up the middle or off tackle. With no deep throwing game and a sh*tty short passing game it doesn't take a genius to just defend the run each play while CBs play man (yes I know they played a lot of zone but you get my point).
We should have run more to the outside and with a lot more screen throws as well. We had the edge on outside speed with Grant, Hicks, Goodwin and we never used it. The play calling at the 11 or 9 off PSU was ridiculous. We should have just thrown a screen to grant in that situation or run a snag route with trips. That's an ideal time for it at that down and distance instead of chucking it into the endzone on a slow ass throw that took forever to get there (because of lack of arm strength and touch on laviano).
We should have run more to the outside and with a lot more screen throws as well. We had the edge on outside speed with Grant, Hicks, Goodwin and we never used it. The play calling at the 11 or 9 off PSU was ridiculous. We should have just thrown a screen to grant in that situation or run a snag route with trips. That's an ideal time for it at that down and distance instead of chucking it into the endzone on a slow ass throw that took forever to get there (because of lack of arm strength and touch on laviano).
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ooops slow to respond. Answer = yes. I agree. SO disappointed in the play calling.
We are never going to have more talent on the field than most teams we line up against but it would be nice if we had coaches that actually knew how to use/ maximize the weapons we do have. They are clueless.
I don't think that Temple had one kid recruited by PSU and they won 27-10.
I would agree that Temple had an easier time against PSU than either Buffalo or we did, but Temple is a very well coached team. Classic case of a coaching staff using the players they have to develop a game plan not the other way around. That game certainly opened up the eyes of Franklin and company. Can you imagine the sh*t they must have gotten from the big rollers? Simply put, our coaching is not good. We play offense with a straight forward vanilla approach that could certainly work IF you had the quality players to execute the plays. We don't, plain and simple! PSU played a perfect game against us. They minimized Hack's passing and ran the ball instead. Their defense really didn't have to do too much either as it was pretty damn obvious what we were trying to do. Did you see them trying to fly like our D looked like most of the game????
Truth is that we are not all that talented and our coaching is absolutely clueless as to what to do about it.
Truth is that we are not all that talented and our coaching is absolutely clueless as to what to do about it.
I'm amazed at how often I find myself saying this. I look at losses, and think wow, they didn't turn the ball over once, their QB was on fire today, or they were really fortunate against us because they haven't executed that well all year.
I've now realized its not them, its us. Our game plans simply do not work. We know what teams are going to do, and have no answers. They know what we are going to do, and make us look foolish. You can say lack of talent and lack of execution all you want, but on paper, we have enough talent to not get embarrassed the way we do. If that talent cannot perform its on the coaches.
Here's the funny thing about all the analysis of the PSU game so far - we lost most of our starting defensive backfield to crime, we lost the Big 10's most productive wide receiver and we had the head coach suspended for 3 games, yet many posters expected to see some semblance of a spirited, confident team on the field. Football is a game where emotion and confidence make a huge difference on game day. The players and coaches on the field in Happy Valley were sorely lacking in both for understandable reasons.
Yeah, the O-line blocking sucked. We were getting beat inside when we tried to run power O, but we did pretty well with the misdirection counter play (as we did against WSU). The OC did not heed Einstein's theory of insanity. Didn't matter who was carrying the rock. I did like Matt Millen's assessment that if you have four running backs you have none. Would running, say, Hicks all game long have made a difference? Unlikely in this case.
I've moved on.
Yeah, the O-line blocking sucked. We were getting beat inside when we tried to run power O, but we did pretty well with the misdirection counter play (as we did against WSU). The OC did not heed Einstein's theory of insanity. Didn't matter who was carrying the rock. I did like Matt Millen's assessment that if you have four running backs you have none. Would running, say, Hicks all game long have made a difference? Unlikely in this case.
I've moved on.
I think Millen (who I was afraid going in was going to be unlistenable due to his PSU ties, but proved me wrong) made the point best.
If you have 4 running backs, you don't have 1.
RB is a position of rhythm second only to QB.
Nothing wrong with a scat/change of pace back that can catch passes our has speed to the outside. But we can't continue to try and feature 3/4 running backs. It just doesn't work.
If you have 4 running backs, you don't have 1.
RB is a position of rhythm second only to QB.
Nothing wrong with a scat/change of pace back that can catch passes our has speed to the outside. But we can't continue to try and feature 3/4 running backs. It just doesn't work.
I was hoping for this after they stuffed power O a couple times. Never happened.
I didn't watch the game with a note pad or anything, but where were deep shots off play action?
If you're gonna be a dinosaur and run a pro set, power run game, you need to take your deep shots on early downs off play action.
That's like the first 45 seconds of the Bill Parcells DVD pack. lol
Have you seen LSU? They have the beast in Fournette, but they shuttle 2 or 3 other guys constantly. The announcer doing the LSU/Alabama game said the exact opposite of what you are saying Millen said, which I have to watch again anyway. I heard it differently. I heard him say that usually when you have 4 you don't have 1, but not in this case.
Our lines (on both sides of the ball) were simply manhandled all night.
We got beat badly in the trenches.
That really explains everything.
We got beat badly in the trenches.
That really explains everything.
Of course there are outliers to every long held anecdote.
That said, it is very difficult to play 4 running backs. And Top 10 programs shoe horn them into games more for recruiting purposes than game plan purposes. It's hard to convince the next batch of 5 star running backs to commit and then sit the bench for 2 years.
I guess I could be wrong on Millen's comment, but if memory serves he said it after a negative run play. He was advocating hard for Hicks. But perhaps someone else remembers the comment and context.
and here is another thought. Our special teams aren't coming close to blocking kicks this year and we have this special guy named Grant back there returning them. Grant had 2-3 guys in his face every time he fielded a punt. Does Rutgers every put on the return scheme? Is there a rule prohibiting you from keeping 1 or 2 guys back to block and give the guy a chance to make a return? That's how you adjust and creatively make an opportunity for one of your play-makers. Nope, we just stayed in the same set over and over.
Both lines played like they were only wearing shells. No follow through no hard contact, defensive line had no fire off and accepted the blocks and the o-line just got punched in the face and cowered
My eyes tell me both Hicks and Martin are the two best backs presently .
Is there really more to it than that?
Is there really more to it than that?
Agreed, Hicks is special. Martin is someone that has the ability to get hot at any time. James just doesn't seem like he has recovered yet. Not saying James cant get it back but as of now is the 3rd or 4th best back at this point.
Did you watch the game? It was not luck. Temple would beat them again if they played next week.
We should play two RB's, that's what Wisconsin does every year. No offense to James, but, his time is over.
